Read The Bible With Reverence

Today I was reminded of this brilliant quote from Thomas Watson, in The Body of Divinity:

"Read the Bible with reverence.

Think in every line you read that God is speaking to you.

The ark wherein the law was put was overlaid with pure gold, and was carried on bars, that the Levites might not touch it (Ex. 25:14). Why was this, but to give reverence to the law?

Read with seriousness.

It is matter of life and death; by this Word you must be tried; conscience and Scripture are the jury God will proceed by, in judging you.

Read the Word with affection.

Get your hearts quickened with the Word; go to it to fetch fire. ‘Did not our hearts burn within us’ (Luke 24:32)? Labour that the Word may not only be a lamp to direct, but a fire to warm.

Read the Scripture, not only as a history, but as a love letter sent you from God, which may affect your hearts.

Pray that the same Spirit that wrote the Word may assist you in reading it; that God’s Spirit would show you the wonderful things of his law. ‘Go near,’ saith God to Philip, ‘join thyself to this chariot’ (Acts 8:29). So, when God’s Spirit joins himself with the chariot of his Word, it becomes effectual."